UCCC Designated as a MO Breastfeeding Friendly Facility!

University City Children’s Center joined a growing number of Missouri early care facilities becoming a Missouri Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care facility. A breastfeeding friendly child care facility proactively supports the families they serve and their employees who choose to breastfeed their infants. They provide time, space and other benefits to encourage breastfeeding after a mom returns to work.

Over 70 percent of Missouri mothers choose breastfeeding as the optimal form of infant feeding. Yet, many of these women do not meet their breastfeeding goals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified returning to work as a major reason why many women stop breastfeeding. Child care providers are key to helping moms continue breastfeeding after they return to work.

The Missouri Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Program is a collaboration between the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and the Missouri Breastfeeding Coalition. The program aims to bring an increased awareness about the importance of lactation support in child care facilities. The program recognizes child care facilities with policies supportive of their breastfeeding employees and mothers of the children in their care. Such policies offer a private space where mothers can pump or breastfeed, trained staff and supportive resources to help encourage breastfeeding. University City Children’s Center is extremely pleased to be designated as a Missouri Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care facility.

To become a Missouri Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care facility, providers must submit an application to the DHSS. Application materials and a list of recognized facilities can be found here.